Pac-12's wins make it look underrated

College football

Updated 11:52 pm, Sunday, September 9, 2012

Photo: Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

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PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 08: Quarterback Brett Hundley #12 of the UCLA Bruins throws a pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Rose Bowl on September 8, 2012 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) less

PASADENA, CA - SEPTEMBER 08: Quarterback Brett Hundley #12 of the UCLA Bruins throws a pass against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at the Rose Bowl on September 8, 2012 in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Stephen ... more

Photo: Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

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UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley threw for four scores and 305 yards in a win over Nebraska.

UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley threw for four scores and 305 yards in a win over Nebraska.

Photo: Stephen Dunn, Getty Images

Pac-12's wins make it look underrated

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Do you remember back in the day when Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler would routinely bring a favored, cloud-of-dust Midwest team to the Rose Bowl only to get stunned by the speed and passing attack of a West Coast squad?

Well, four teams from the middle of the country, including three that were ranked, wandered to the West Coast to play Pac-12 schools Saturday, and the clock seemed to rewind several decades.

Then-No. 13 Wisconsin, No. 16 Nebraska, No. 18 Oklahoma State and Illinois found themselves on the losing ends as their quarterbacks threw a combined six interceptions. Then-unranked Oregon State, UCLA, Arizona and Arizona State got eight touchdown passes and no interceptions from their quarterbacks, three of whom are new starters.

The Pac-12 teams accounted for three of the four losses by Top 25 teams over the weekend. Arizona State was the only one of the four that was favored, and the Sun Devils were just a four-point pick over an Illinois team they beat 45-14.

-- UCLA redshirt freshman Brett Hundley completed 21 of 33 passes for 305 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions to beat Nebraska 36-30 even though the Huskers had two players rush for more than 100 yards.

-- Arizona's Matt Scott completed 28 of 41 passes for 320 yards, two TDs and no interceptions as the Wildcats, who scraped by Toledo in overtime in their opener, put a 59-38 beating on an Oklahoma State team that outgained Arizona on the ground and overall.

-- Oregon State sophomore Sean Mannion was 29-for-47 for 276 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions, and Wisconsin's Heisman hopeful running back Montee Ball was held to 61 rushing yards in a 10-7 victory by the Beavers, who were picked to finish last (behind Washington State) in the Pac-12 North.

-- Arizona State's Taylor Kellywent 18-for-24 for 249 yards, a score and no interceptions in the blowout of Illinois, which outgained the Sun Devils on the ground.

The gods step in: Mother Nature must have put a small wager on Savannah State to cover, because storms forced an end to its Saturday game against Florida State with 8:59 left in the third quarter and the Seminoles leading 55-0. The point spread by the few Las Vegas outlets that offered wagering on the game was between 69.5 and 70.5 points, and even though the teams had agreed to institute a running clock after returning from a second-quarter weather delay with the score 48-0, it appeared the No. 6 Seminoles would cover. Mother Nature made sure they didn't.

Because the game did not go at least 55 minutes, there probably will be no payoffs on bets on Savannah State. The game did count for Florida State, although there was quite a bit of discussion after the game had been called about whether the game would be considered "official" or "canceled." Florida State paid Savannah State $475,000 for the game, and won the debate to get the official victory.

Razorbacks on downward arc

It has been far from Hog Heaven for Arkansas, which thought it had a chance for a national title. Follow the Razorbacks' demise:

April 10: Head coach Bobby Petrino is fired for having a relationship with a football-office employee he hired, then lying about it.

Sept. 1: No. 10 Arkansas yields 322 yards and 20 first downs in a 49-24 home victory over Jacksonville State, an FCS team.

Sept. 6: Head coach John L. Smith, who is on a 10-month contract, files for bankruptcy.

Sept. 9: Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson, a Heisman Trophy candidate, leaves the game against Louisiana-Monroe with a head injury.

Sept. 9: No. 8 Arkansas blows a 28-7 lead at Little Rock in a 34-31 overtime loss to Louisiana-Monroe, which was a 30.5-point underdog after finishing 3-5 in the Sun Belt last season and being picked to finish sixth this year.

Sept. 10: Arkansas drops out of the Top 25, marking the second-biggest fall from the AP rankings. Only Michigan's slide from No. 5 after its 2007 loss to Appalachian State was greater.

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